--- title: "Smoking at Erbil International Airport – EBL" canonical: "https://www.airportsmokingzones.com/iraq/ebl-smoking-at-erbil-airport/" language: "en-us" description: "Smoke outside Erbil International Airport (EBL), landside by the terminal entrance; the airport and its lounge list no indoor or after-security room." lastmod: "2026-10-08T00:00:00Z" --- # Smoking at Erbil International Airport – EBL Yes, you can smoke at Erbil International Airport (EBL) — an open-air smoking area outside the terminal entrance, landside, is available; the airport itself publishes no dedicated signage for it. The airport lists no indoor or after-security smoking room, and the one lounge lists none. Erbil International is the main gateway to Iraq’s Kurdistan Region and the country’s third-busiest airport by passenger traffic. ## Inside the Terminal The terminal’s duty-free shops, currency exchange counters and departure gates are non-smoking, in line with Iraq’s Anti-Smoking Act No. 19 of 2012, which prohibits smoking in public places. The airport’s own website lists its passenger services — VIP handling, taxi transfers, money exchange, food and beverage outlets, duty-free shopping and a prayer room — without listing a smoking room or smoking area among them. ## Newroz Business Class Lounge The terminal’s one lounge, the Newroz Business Class Lounge, is a non-smoking facility. That rules out smoking even for the business-class and status passengers who can reach it. A traveller described a separate glass-walled smoking lounge past security in March 2023, free to use and open to any passenger with a boarding pass — distinct from the Newroz lounge. The airport lists none, so ask staff on the day rather than plan around it. ## Before Security An open-air smoking area sits outside the terminal entrance, on the same forecourt used for drop-off and pick-up, open to anyone without a boarding pass. The airport’s own site does not publish a designated-area map, so look for it near the main doors before you enter the building. ## Vaping Vapes are not an alternative either. The Kurdistan Regional Government maintains a strict ban on e-cigarettes across the region Erbil serves, on top of the airport listing no vaping area of its own. ## Summary | Area | Smoking | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | Indoor terminal | No | Non-smoking under Iraq’s Anti-Smoking Act No. 19 of 2012 | | After security / lounge | No | Newroz Lounge listed non-smoking; a traveller described a separate room in March 2023 | | Outdoor / landside | Yes | Open-air area outside the terminal entrance, on the drop-off forecourt | | Vaping | No | Kurdistan Region maintains a strict e-cigarette ban | For Iraq’s airport smoking rules and vaping law, see our [Iraq airport smoking guide](https://www.airportsmokingzones.com/iraq/). ## Useful Links [Erbil International Airport (official)](https://www.eia.krd/) ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Are there smoking areas at Erbil International Airport (EBL)? Yes — an open-air smoking area outside the terminal entrance, landside, is available; the airport itself publishes no dedicated signage for it. The airport lists no indoor or after-security smoking room, and the one lounge lists none. ### Can I smoke after security at Erbil Airport? The airport lists no smoking area past security, and its one lounge, the Newroz Business Class Lounge, is listed as a non-smoking facility. A traveller described a separate, free smoking lounge past security in March 2023; ask staff on the day whether it exists. ### Is there a smoking area in the Newroz Business Class Lounge? The Newroz Business Class Lounge is a non-smoking facility, so it is not an option for smokers even with business-class or status access. ### Where can I smoke before security at Erbil Airport? In the open-air area outside the terminal entrance, landside, on the same forecourt used for drop-off and pick-up. The spot is open to anyone, no boarding pass required; the airport’s own site does not publish a designated-area map. ### Can you vape at Erbil International Airport? Keep vapes packed away. The Kurdistan Region, where Erbil sits, maintains a strict ban on e-cigarettes, and the terminal lists no vaping area of its own either. ### Can I smoke inside the terminal at Erbil Airport? The airport lists no smoking area inside the terminal, from check-in to the departure gates. The only lounge, the Newroz Business Class Lounge, is also listed non-smoking, so there is no listed indoor smoking room anywhere in the building.